Children and Young People
In early 2025 we invited schools in the West Partnership, Argyll & Bute, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to learn how we can all play our part in tackling the issues around the Arrochar Litter Sink.
Activities included:
- A live lesson all about the Arrochar litter sink and marine litter.
- A workshop on campaigning through the arts.
- Resources to support the art competition.
Tackle Marine Litter as part of your Duke of Edinburgh volunteering!
Did you know you can volunteer for Keep Scotland Beautiful and complete regular litter surveys to help tackle marine litter as part of the volunteering requirements for your Duke of Edinburgh award.
You can volunteer by yourself or you can join a local litter picking group to do your volunteering! Its a great and easy way to volunteer but you will also contribute to cleaning up your community and contribute to a national data set for Scotland.
Please read our Duke of Edinburgh Guidance on how the volunteering works. Then read our survey guide and create an account with us to start logging data about what litter you are finding on your local river- you can access all your surveys via your account which will be great for reporting on your volunteering.
Contact UpstreamBattle@KeepScotlandBeautiful.org for any help with this process.
Scouts Scotland helping us take action on marine litter.
Upstream Battle Education Programme
Working with schools? Have a look at our Upstream Battle Education Programme.
Citizen Science
We know that 80% of marine litter is estimated to come from land and we need your help to build a detailed picture of source to sea litter.
Your school can help contribute by completing a litter survey at your local waterway. We have put together a large format surveying guide and accompanying teaching resource for you to download. Once you have completed a survey submit your data to the Clean up Scotland portal or email to UpstreamBattle@KeepScotlandBeautiful.org.
Presentation for young people on marine litter and surveying
Activities for at home
For families and young people, you can download our Activity Sheets with colouring in, a world search and a mini quiz. We have activity sheets with mini-quiz questions relating to the Clyde, Forth, Irvine and Tay Rivers to help highlight source to sea litter.
Next time you go for a walk near a waterway, why not complete the Riverside Walk Spotter sheet to investigate what you see and consider how they impact on the environment.
Clean Up Scotland
We are challenging all schools across the Clyde Valley and Tayside to join in a Clean Up event as part of Upstream Battle.
80% of marine litter comes from land. We want to stop it at the source. Organising a litter pick near your local waterway you will not only make a difference in your local area but also prevent litter from making its way to sea.
Ocean Plastics Live Lesson with Doug Allan
Doug Allan is a natural history cameraman and presenter on programmes including Blue Planet. Doug went 'live' on our YouTube channel to share his experiences, talk about his work and his own career pathway and answered questions from pupils submitted ahead of time.
